"It was the signature achievement of an unexpectedly productive two days of meetings between the leaders. Mr. Obama and Mr. Xi also agreed to ......, as well as an understanding to cut tariffs for technology products."

Interesting comment on NPR coverage of this news, to the effect that the administration thinks it can deliver on this agreement without new legislation. Which, as NPR pointed out, is really good because the incoming chairman of the Senate Environment Committee, Sen. Imhofe, is one of the biggest climate deniers in Congress (NPR's characterization).

Of course, it might be possible for Congress to block the steps that the administration envisions by defunding agencies, etc.

The leaders of the incoming GOP Congress said the president had it out for the American energy consumer and vowed to stop his enhanced regulatory scheme come January. “This announcement is yet another sign that the president intends to double down on his job-crushing policies no matter how devastating the impact for America’s heartland and the country as a whole," House Speaker John Boehner said. "And it is the latest example of the president’s crusade against affordable, reliable energy that is already hurting jobs and squeezing middle-class families."

Click to expand...

Mitch McConnell, the incoming Senate majority leader, who is the preeminent protector of coal in the Congress, said the deal was "an unrealistic plan" that would "ensure higher utility rates and far fewer jobs." The chief climate-change denier in the Senate, and the likely next chairman of the its environment committee, James Inhofe, denounced the pact as a "non-binding charade."

I've been thinking a lot lately about the fact that it would help if Tesla is on time with the Model 3 for the next presidential debate. If Tesla can come out strong in 2015 with a model of the car and other facts and to say it will be out in 2016, it will show our nation that there is a really nice 200 mile EV coming soon for a reasonable price. I would hope more Americans would see the light and understand we can move away from the whole oil situation. That way when the politicians have debates on our energy policy, no one can get by on "We need more fracking and Canadian oil."

We would have the public and I hope the moderators calling them out and letting them squirm on the subject. Tesla needs to come out swift and clean with the Model 3. Just, BAM!, here it is. No set backs. Have it all ready to go. There will be no falcon wing doors and the motor should be ready after 2 years of testing on the Model S and X.

Don't underestimate the importance of regional impacts. Mitch McConnell is absolutely correct: the EPA's proposed regulations on carbon would have a short-run negative impact on Kentucky, as well as West Virginia, Montana, and all the other coal-producing states. And it would have a short-term negative impact on the larger number of states that have enjoyed cheap electricity from coal--artificially cheap, I would argue, but cheap nonetheless. I have no doubt that the overall effect of the regulation will be good for the American economy and the world environment, but there are transition costs that are real, and they fall disproportionately on some states' citizens.

The crime is that the Republicans killed their own approach to address climate change, cap-and-trade, which would have generated a revenue stream that could have been channeled back to offset the impacts on particular groups of citizens. Of course, the money probably would have been hijacked as 'corporate welfare' for companies like Peabody Coal that are harmed, rather than Peabody Coal's unemployed miners.

Don't underestimate the importance of regional impacts. Mitch McConnell is absolutely correct: the EPA's proposed regulations on carbon would have a short-run negative impact on Kentucky, as well as West Virginia, Montana, and all the other coal-producing states. And it would have a short-term negative impact on the larger number of states that have enjoyed cheap electricity from coal--artificially cheap, I would argue, but cheap nonetheless. I have no doubt that the overall effect of the regulation will be good for the American economy and the world environment, but there are transition costs that are real, and they fall disproportionately on some states' citizens.

The crime is that the Republicans killed their own approach to address climate change, cap-and-trade, which would have generated a revenue stream that could have been channeled back to offset the impacts on particular groups of citizens. Of course, the money probably would have been hijacked as 'corporate welfare' for companies like Peabody Coal that are harmed, rather than Peabody Coal's unemployed miners.

Click to expand...

Yes, that will happen some: no pain, no gain. Right? We are addicted to something as a nation that will take some effort to switching over. We can take those coal jobs and move them into solar installs and manufacturing/corp. Jobs. At this point i have no tolerance for excuses from that side.

If mitch's state was all about solar, then he would try every which way to make solar an issue. It's all whats 'now' for them.